At the time it came out, true CRPG throwbacks were still a pretty rare sight, and the few that did come out after Baldur's Gate 2 and Fallout had low production values, like Geneforge. Neverwinter Nights and to a greater extent Dragon Age were also big departures from the traditional CRPG mold.

Getting to see a new CRPG with modern graphics and lots of voice acing, but still be isometric, was really exciting. I know it's why I bought it.

But I never finished it. The intro sequence at the farm with the killer rabbits was so unbalanced, the hardest part of the game, and poorly done. It was cool that you could have different characters do dialogue and be a hardass or a smartass or a kissass, they did all feel like different flavors if the same outcome. And the game was just too long, so after putting 40 hours into it and still not being close to done, I put the game down.

Someday I'll definitely try Wasteland 3, since HowLongToBeat says it's shorter.

I feel like Wasteland 3 improved on your complaints specifically, and in general it was a lot more tightened up. WL2 while good just sort of seemed to go on and on and on, especially when you go to LA and essentially have to start over. The game world was just too big, and much of it pointless.

WL3 presents the central conflict right from the start, which is a faction based dispute. Dealing with it involves radiating from the central location and then going back to it. It builds more faction investment by creating ongoing interactions with them, and quest choices will affect standing with factions which have tangible effects in the game world (certain vendors will or won't trade with you, certain factions will staff your HQ, different factions get equipment based on quest choices, and certain endings and location outcomes vary). I think this helped make it feel like less of a drag than WL2's mystery which was sort of vague and didn't really involve much back and forth with the player until the end.

WL3's combat is a lot snappier. In WL2 assault rifles were overpowered so much that combat was just sort of a lot of midrange shooting. WL3 arguably overcorrected by making assault rifles possibly the worst weapon type, pushing to have run'n'gun SMG or shotgun party members, 1 or 2 snipers per party, and specialists like leaders, hackers, and medics playing important varied roles.

WL3 uses talking heads for important characters, and they convey a lot more personality. With recruitable special NPCs there is actual voiced party banter, and special NPCs have their own loyalities which can make them leave a party under extreme circumstances. Non recruitable major NPCs also have more memorable personalities, and given that many of them represent factions you have to decide which ones to make friends and which enemies, which can be tough to call if you are playing blind.

I loved wasteland 3, and didn't get going with 2 the same :) I felt 3 definitely called back to early choices I made, without giving anything away :)

Weirdly, I got really into the combat, which never happens to me. :)

!crpg@lemmy.world might also be interested in this.

Thanks, friend. Sounds like one to avoid.